Pulling over and lasting machine



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PULLING OVER AND LASTING MACHINE Filed May 10, 1962 14 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG-3 March 1, 1966 J. s. KAMBORIAN 3,237,224

PULLING OVER AND LASTING MACHINE Filed May 10, 1962 14 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG-4 March 1, 1966 J. s. KAMBORIAN 3,237,224

PULLING OVER AND LASTING' MACHINE Filed May 10, 1962 14 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 1, 1966 J. s. KAMBORIAN 3,237,224

I PULLING OVER AND LASTING MACHINE Filed May 10, 1962 14 Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG.- /0

March 1, 1966 J. s. KAMBORIAN PULLING OVER AND LASTING MACHINE l4 Sheets-Sheet 7 March 1, 1966 J. s. KAMBORIAN 3,237,224

PULLING OVER AND LASTING MACHINE Filed May 10, 1962 14 Sheets-Sheet 8 FIG. I2

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March 1, 1966 .1. s. KAMBORIAN 3,237,224

PULLING OVER AND LASTING MACHINE Filed May 10, 1962 14 Sheets-Sheet 10 FIG-Z/ March 1, 1966 J 5, KAMBORIAN 3,237,224

PULLING OVER AND LASTING MACHINE Filed May 10, 1962 14 Sheets-Sheet 11 230 .ZgZM F/G. 24 1 March 1, 1966 5, KAMBORlAN 3,237,224

PULLING OVER AND LASTING MACHINE Filed May 10, 1962 14 Sheets-Sheet 12 March 1, 1966 Filed May 10, 1962 J. S. KAMBORIAN PULLING OVER AND LASTING MACHINE 14 Sheets-Sheet l5 March 1, 1966 J, 5, KAMBQRIAN 3,237,224

PULLING OVER AND LASTING MACHINE Filed May 10, 1962 14 Sheets-Sheet 14 L34A 234 246 L United States Patent 3,237,224 PULLING OVER AND LASTING MACHINE Jacob Simon Kamborian, 133 Forest Ave, West Newton, Mass. Filed May 10, 1962, Ser. No. 193,829 28 Claims. (Cl. 12-105) This invention relates to a toe pull-ing over and lasting machine to perform operations on a shoe similar to that performed by the machine disclosed in pending application Serial No. 100,979, filed April 5, 1961, now Patent No. 3,165,771. In the instant machine, unlike the machine of the aforesaid application, a shoe, having an insole on its bottom and a shoe upper draped about its toe end, is supported bottom-down. The upper is subjected to stresses that serve to pull over and stretch the upper tautly over the toe end of the last, after which the toe portion of the upper margin is wiped against the insole.

The machine is intended to be used on shoes having insoles that have had cement applied to their edges prior to their insertion in the machine, as, for example, by a cement applying mechanism such as that disclosed in pend ing application Serial No. 138,135, filed September 14, 1961, now Patent No. 3,079,618, or pending application Serial No. 181,682, filed March 22, 1962, now Patent No. 3,157,896. The pressures generated during wiping adhesively bond the upper margin to the insole.

The machine includes a frame having forwardly movable wiper-s. A last support or stretch plate is provided that is mounted for heightwise movement. Retarders are provided below the wipers that are movable against the wiper undersurfaces and forepart pincers are provided on each side of the stretch plate. A shot conforming mechanism, that includes a shoe conforming yoke, is located above the wipers. A toe clamp is positioned for movement from a rearward position remote from the last supported on the stretch plate to a working position above the stretch plate, and means are provided to press the toe clamp against the last under a relatively low and a relatively high pressure. A heel clamp is positioned for engagement with the heel end of the last.

The last, having the upper and insole thereon, is intended to be placed on the stretch plate with the toe portion of the upper margin located between the retarders and wipers, the forepart portion of the upper margin inserted between the pincers, and the insole bottom located below the level of the upper surfaces of the wipers. A pedal operated control system is provided which, in response to an initial depression of the pedal, causes the retarders to press the toe portion of the upper margin against the wipers and the pincers to grip the forepart portions of the upper margin. This is followed by a raising of the stretch plate to bring the insole bottom slightly above the level of the upper surface of the wipers. During the upward movement of the stretch plate, the pincers are moved toward each other to lay the forepart portions of the upper margin against the insole, the shoe conforming yoke yieldably presses the upper against the last to conform the upper to the shape of the last and the retarders serve to pull over and assemble the upper on the last. After this, the machine parts come to a stop, and the operator may apply increased pressure to one or the other of the forepart pincers to cause the pincers to center the upper on the last. A further depression of the pedal now brings the toe clamp to its working position and causes it to bear against the last under light pressure and brings the heel clamp against the heel of the last. This is followed by an actuation of the wipers to wipe the lasting margin of the upper against the insole to adhesively bond it thereto. An actuating means is provided which, during the movement 3,237,224 Patented Mar. 1, 1966 of the wipers, releases the retarders and pincers and lowers the stretch plate so that the shoe is supported by the wipers. At the end of the wiper stroke, mechanism is actuated to apply the relatively heavy pressure by the toe clamp against the last. A release of the pedal returns all the parts to their original position.

The wipers have forwardly divergent and opposed surfaces meeting at a vertex and are mounted for concomitant translation and inward movement about the vertex. Means are provided to stop the translation of the wipers when the vertex has crossed the end of the last so that the final wiper movement is inwardly about the vertex. A trimming knife, movable between the wipers, is provided to trim the upper stock gathered by the wipers. In a second embodiment of the invention, an auxiliary wiper is provided that fills in the space created by the separation of the opposed surfaces during the inward movement of the wipers about the vertex.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of the machine;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the machine;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevation, to an enlarged scale, of the upper portion of the machine;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the wiper driving mechanism;

FIGURE 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of FIG- URE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of FIG- URE 4;

toe clamp;

FIGURE 13 is a detail of a part of the wiper driving mechanism;

FIGURE 14 is a section taken on the line 14-14 of FIGURE 12;

FIGURE 15 is a plan view of the shoe conforming mechanism;

FIGURE 16 is a View taken on the line 16-16 of FIGURE 15;

FIGURE 17 is a view taken on the line 17-17 of FIG- URE 15;

FIGURE 18 is a view taken on the line 18-18 of FIG- URE 15;

FIGURE 19 is a view taken on the line 19-19 of FIGURE 15;

FIGURE 20 is a detail of the toe clamp moving mechanism;

FIGURE 21 is a front elevation of the machine showing the retarders and toe clamp;

FIGURE 22 is a plan view of the retarders;

FIGURE 23 is a section taken on the line 23-23 of FIGURE 22;

FIGURE 24 is a detail of one of the retarders;

FIGURE 25 is a detail, to an enlarged scale, of the retarder blade mounting of one of the retarders;

FIGURE 26 is a section, to an enlarged scale, of the toe clamp;

FIGURE 27 is a view of a part of the control mechanism for the machine;

FIGURE 27A is a view of another part of the control mechanism for the machine;

FIGURE 28 is a detail of the heel clamp mounting;

FIGURE 29 is a view of the mechanism for applying increased pressure to the forepart pincers;

FIGURE 30 is a section of a pilot valve forming part of the control mechanism of the machine;

FIGURE 31 is a circuit diagram of the pneumatically operated machine control;

FIGURE 32 is a. schematic representation of the shoe in the machine at the beginning of the machine cycle;

FIGURE 32A is a view taken on the line 32A32A o'f FIGURE 32;

FIGURE 32B is a view taken on the line 32B-32B of FIGURE 32;

FIGURE 33 is a schematic representation of the shoe in the machine just prior to the actuation of the wipers;

FIGURE 33A is a view taken on the line 33A-33A of FIGURE 33;

FIGURE 33B is a view taken on the line 33B33B of FIGURE 33A;

FIGURE 33C is a View taken on the line 33C33C of FIGURE 33A;

FIGURE 34 is a schematic representation of the shoe in the machine after the wipers have gone part way through their wiping operation;

FIGURE 34A is a view taken on the line 34A34A of FIGURE 34;

FIGURE 35 is a schematic representation of the shoe in the machine after the wipers have completed their wiping operation;

FIGURE 35A is a view taken on the line 35A-35A of FIGURE 35; and

FIGURE 36 is a view similar to FIGURE 35A but using the auxiliary wiper instead of the trimming knife.

The machine comprises a frame 10 (FIGURES 1 and 2) that includes inclined struts 12 and an inclined block 14. The machine is inclined approximately 30 from the horizontal so that the operator may more readily have access thereto, but, for the sake of convenience, parts extending in the direction of the struts 12 will be referred to as ext-ending vertically and parts extending in the direction of the block 14 will be referred to as extending horizontally.

Referring to FIGURES 4-6, a wiper supporting plate 16 is slidably mounted in the block 14 for horizontal movement. The plate 16 supports wiper holding cam plates 18 containing recesses in their forward ends in which are secured wiper blades 20. The cam plates 18 have arcuate cam slots 22 which engage pins 24 fixed to the subjacent plate 16 for controlling the movement of the cam plates and hence movement of the wiper blades to close them about the toe of a shoe. The forward ends of a pair of wiper actuating links 26 are pivotally connected to the cam plates. The rear ends of the links 26 are pivotally connected to a block 28 slidable in a slot 30 in the plate 16. The block 28 is connected by way of a coupling 32, at its rear end, to a piston rod 34-projecting from an air actuated motor 36 mounted on a flange 37 secured to the frame 10'; The block 28 has pivotally connected thereto a pair of short links 38 which extend rearwardly and to the rear ends of which are pivotally connected a pair of laterally extending levers 40, which in turn are pivotally connected intermediate their ends to the plate 16 by pivots 42. The outermost ends of the levers 40 are pivotally connected at 44 to links 46, the rear ends of which are pivotally connected to pivots 48. Each pivot 48 has a head 50 dependent therefrom that is slidably received in a slot 52 located in the block 14 (FIGURE 6). The piston rod 54 of an air actuated motor -6 mounted on the block 14 is secured to each head 50. The wipers 20, in their retracted FIGURE 4 position have opposed surfaces 58 and divergent surfaces 60 (see FIG- URE 34A). Grooves 62 are provided in the contiguous abutting and divergent surfaces 58 and 60 of the wipers 20, the grooves being located approximately halfway through the thickness of the wipers. A knife 64 is slidably mounted in the grooves 62 and has a sharp, forwardly directed cutting edge. The rear end of the knife is connected by fasteners 66 to a knife holder 68 that is slidably supported on the plate 16. The wiper cams 18 are spaced apart sufliciently to accommodate the knife holder therebetween. The rear end of the knife holder is slidably received in a slot 70 in the block 28. Headed fasteners 72 are threaded into the knife holder 68 and extend through a slot 74 in a cover plate 76 that is juxtaposed above the knife holder 68. The heads of the fasteners 72 bear against a cap plate 78 that is juxtaposed above the slot 74. A pair of knife actuating toggle links 80 are each pivotally connected at one end to a link 26 and at their opposite end to the cover plate 76.

The plate 16 has a projection 82 extending upwardly of its rear end, see FIGURES 4, 12 and 13. The projection 82 has a button 83 mounted therein. The frame 10 includes a projection 84 that has a stud 86 threaded therein in alignment with the button 83.

The block 28 has a hanger 88 dependent therefrom. A stud 90, adjustably mounted in the hanger 88, is in alignment with a valve 92 mounted in the frame (see FIG- URES 5 and 11). Below the stud 98*, the hanger 88 has valve actuators 94, 96 and 98- adjustably mounted therein (FIGURES 7 and 8) which are respectively positioned to intersect valves 100, 102 and 104 mounted in the frame 10 during the forward movement of the hanger 88 to'be described below.

In FIGURES 9 and 10 and 36, a modification is shown wherein a wedge-shaped auxiliary wiper 106 is substituted for the knife 64. In this arrangement, wipers 20 are employed which do not have knife accommodating grooves 62 in their abutting surfaces 58' and divergent surfaces 60'. A block 28 is utilized which is constructed similarly to the block 28 except for not having the knife guiding slot 70 therein. An auxiliary wiper holder 108 is secured to the block 28 by fasteners 110 and extends forwardly thereof. The fasteners 110 extend through an elongated slot 112 in the holder 108 and have heads bearing against the top of the holder, so that the position of the holder 108 in the block 28 may be adjusted by loosening the fasteners 110, adjusting the holder 108 lengthwise, and then tightening the fasteners 108. The forward end of the holder 108 is slidably mounted on the plate 16 between the wiper cams' 18, and the auxiliary wiper 106 is secured to the forward end of the holder 108. The upper surface of the auxiliary wiper 106 is substantially coextensive with the upper surface of the wipers 20'.

The frame 10 is formed into two spaced brackets 114 located above the Wipers 20 and wiper cams 18. A crossplate 116 extends between the brackets 114 and is slidably mounted for forward and rearward movement in gibs 118 located in the brackets 114 (see FIGURES 15-17). A mounting bracket 120, bolted to the underside of the cross-plate 116, has a socket 122 at its forward end. A flange 124 extends forwardly of each bracket 114. An internally threaded sleeve 126 is pivotally connected to each flange 124 by each sleeve having a cylindrical bearing 128 extending downwardly into an opening in its associated flange 124 (FIGURE 18). A nut 130 threaded onto each bearing 128 serves to restrain upward movement of the bearings 128 in the flanges 124. A threaded shaft 132 is threaded into each sleeve 128 and a knob 134 is rigidly connected to each shaft 132. Each shaft 132 is hollow and slidably receives a rod 136 extending longitudinally therethrough. Adjusting nuts 138 are threaded to the outer ends of the rods 136 and bear against bearings 140 rotatably mounted on the rods 136. The bearings 140 in turn bear against the knobs 134. The inner end of each rod 136 is formed into a head 142 that extends between the jaws of a clevis 144 and is pivoted to the clevis by a .pivot pin 145. Each clevis 144 forms an end of a support arm 146, and each support arm 146 has a spring arm 148 secured thereto and extending rearwardly thereof. The rear ends of the spring arms 148 are each entwined about a pin 150, which pins 150 are mounted on the mounting bracket 120 on opposite sides of the socket 122. A compression spring 151 is mounted on each rod 136 and extends from each shaft 132 to each head 142.

A substantially U-shaped shoe conforming yoke 152 is provided having a bight 154 and a .pair of legs 156 extending forwardly of the bight on opposite sides of the bight. The yoke is made of a flexible, deformable material such as Teflon and has a pair of bowed springs 158 extending exteriorly of each yoke leg from the bight forwardly thereof. The yoke is made substantially in the manner shown in pending application Serial No. 50,177, filed August 17, 1960, now Patent No. 3,060,468.

The bight of the yoke is received in the socket 122, above the wipers 20, and each support arm 146 has a downtumed lip 160 (FIGURE 19) that is received in an elongated slot 162 in a yoke leg 152. The slots 162 are made longer than the lips 160. Each support arm 146 has an opening 164 which slidably mounts a pin 166. The rearward end of each pin 166 has a clip 168 thereon that is secured to the forward end of the associated yoke leg 156. A compression spring 170 is coiled about each pin 166 between each clip 168 and each support arm 146 to yieldably urge the yoke legs forwardly and thereby yieldably seat the yoke bight 154 against the socket 122.

Referring to FIGURE 17, the cross-plate 116 has a trough 172 extending upwardly thereof in which a rod 174 is slidably mounted. The rod 174 has a threaded extension 176 that is threaded into the machine frame 10, and a knurled knob 178 at its forward end. A compression spring 180 is coiled about the rod 174 and extends between the trough 172 and an enlarged head 182 at the rear end of the rod 174. A second trough 184 (FIGURE 16) mounted on the cross-plate 116 has a rod 186 slidable thereon. The forward end of the rod 186 is slidably received in a hollow stud 188 that is threaded into the machine frame and has aknurled knob 190 at its forward end. The rear end of the rod 186 is threaded into a hanger 192 depending from the machine frame 10, and a collar 194 is pinned to the rod 186 intermediate the hanger 192 and the trough 184.

A mounting bracket 196 is secured to the frame 10 and extends forwardly thereof below the wipers and yoke 152. An air actuated motor 198 is secured to the bracket 196 and has a piston rod 200 extending upwardly thereof (see FIGURES 2, 3, 11 and 23). A stretch plate holder 202 is fitted onto the piston rod 200, and the stretch plate holder 200 has a stretch plate or last support 204 that is mounted thereon (FIGURE 23). The stretch plate 204 has a dependent boss 206 that is received in a hole in the stretch plate holder 202. The boss is keyed in the hole by conventional means to prevent rotation of the boss in the hole. A pair of lock nuts, 208 and 210, are threaded onto the stretch plate holder 202, and the stretch plate rests on the nut 208. The stretch plate holder 202 has a projection 212 extending rearwardly therefrom, and a roller 214 is rotatably mounted in the projection 212. The roller 214 is received in a vertically extending guideway 216 that is located on the bracket 196. An extension 218 of the stretch plate holder 202 has a vertically extending rod 220 thereon, and a valve 222 is secured to the lower end of the rod 220 (see FIGURES 11 and 22). The spool 224 of the valve 222 is in vertical alignment with a valve actuating screw 226 that is threaded into the bracket 196.

Referring to FIGURES 21-25, an air actuated motor 228 is mounted on the bracket 196 on the center line of the machine rearwardly of the motor 198. The upwardly extending piston rod 230 of the motor 228 has a center retarder holder 232 secured thereto that is rectangular in cross-section and is slidably guided in the bracket 196. The upper end of the holder 232 has a center retarder blade 234 secured thereto and extending upwardly thereof. A pair of air actuated motors 236 are mounted in the bracket 196 on each side of the motor 228 and forwardly thereof. The piston rods 238 of the motors 236 each have a side retarder holder 240 secured thereto that is rectangular in cross-section and slidably guided in the bracket 196. Each side retarder holder 240 has a side retarder mount 242 slidably mounted on its upper end for horizontal movement toward and away from the center line of the machine. A threaded fastener 244 extending through a slot 246 in each retarder mount 242 serves to adjustably position the retarder mounts 242 on the retarder holders 240. A side retarder blade 248 is secured to each retarder mount 246 and extends upwardly thereof. The retarders 234 and 248 are located below the wipers 20 and the center retarder 234 is normally located at a higher elevation than the side retarders 248 (see FIG- URES 22 and 23).

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 3, an air actuated, spring return motor 250 is fulcrumed to the frame 10 by a pivot 252 on each side of the machine for swinging movement about a horizontal axis. The piston rod 254 of each motor 250 is secured to a slotted bar 256, and the inner end of each bar 256 is pivoted to an upwardly extending bar 258. Each bar 258 has a fixed pincer jaw 260 fixed to its upper end and is secured at its lower end to the piston rod 262 of an air actuated motor 264 or 265, the motors 264 and 265 being pivoted to the frame 10 at 266 to swing about a horizontal axis toward and away from the center line of the machine. Each bar 258 has an arm 268 on which an air actuated motor 270 is pivotally mounted by a pivot 272. A movable pincer jaw 274 is pivoted to each fixed pincer jaw 260 by a pivot 276, and the piston rod 278 of each motor 270 is pivoted to its associated jaw 274 by a pivot 280. The fixed jaw 260 and the movable jaws 274 together form pincers 281. The piston rods 278 extend through the slots in the bars 256, and the bracket 196 is slotted at 280 to accommodate the bars 258.

The uppermost portion of the frame 10 is formed into a head 282. A horizontally extending guideway 284 is provided in the head 282, and a slide 286 is slidably mounted in the guideway 284, see FIGURES 11, 12, 14 and 21. An air actuated motor 288, mounted in the flange 37, has a piston rod- 290 connected to the slide 286 to thereby effect its movement in the guideway 284 (FIGURE 20). A fulcrum 292 extends upwardly of the slide 286, and a lever 294 is pivotally connected to the fulcrum by a pivot 296 to swing about a horizontal axis. A toe clamp holder 298 extends through a vertically extending hole 300 in the forward end of the slide 286 and is keyed to the slide by a key 302 to permit vertical movement of the toe clamp holder 298 in the hole 300 without permitting rotation of the holder about its vertical axis (see FIGURE 26). A toe clamp 304 is connected to the holder 298 by a pivot 306 to permit swinging movement of the toe clamp about a horizontal axis that is transverse to the lengthwise center line of the machine. The bottom of the toe clamp is covered by a toe pad 308 made of a flexible yieldable material such as leather. A compression spring 310 coiled about the holder 298 and interposed between a shoulder 312 on the slide 286 and a head 314 on the holder 298 acts to yieldably urge the holder 298 upwardly of the slide 286. A button 316 is secured to the top of the holder 298.

The forward end of the lever 294 has a roller 318 rotatably mounted thereon that is adapted to bear against the button 316 and thereby limit the extent of upward movement of the toe clamp 304 under the influence of the spring 310. A pair of air actuated motors 320 are pivoted to the slide 286 rearwardly of the fulcrum 292 and extend upwardly of the slide. Each motor 320 has a piston rod 322 that is secured to a ledge 324 extending outwardly of the lever 294. An air actuated motor 326 is secured to the rear end of the slide 286 and has a piston rod 328 extending forwardly thereof. A wedgeshaped cam 330 secured to the piston rod 328 is interposed between a roll 332 rotatably mounted on the slide 286 and a roll 334 rotatably mounted on the rear end of the lever 294. A lug 336 extending outwardly of the slide 286 is in alignment with a stud 338 threaded into altzprojector 340 located on the frame (see FIGURE The frame 10 includes a platform 342 (FIGURES 1 and 2) that has a pin 344 extending upwardly thereof. A collar 346 is swivelled on the pin 344 for swinging movement about the axis of the pin and a post 348 is pivoted to the collar 346 by a pivot 350 for swinging movement with respect to the collar about a horizontal axis. The upper end of the post 348 is fitted into a hollow heel clamp holder 352 and a heel clamp 354 is secured to the heel clamp holder 352. The post 348 has a plurality of sockets 356 running lengthwise thereof, any one of which is adapted to receive a pin 358 mounted in the holder 352 and yieldably urged toward the post 348 by a spring 360 (FIGURE 28).

A bracket 362, secured to the frame 10, has a pin 364 secured thereto and extending upwardly thereof that is coaxial with the pin 344 (FIGURE 2). A bracket 366 is pivotally mounted on the pin 364 for swinging movement about the axis of the pin. The bracket 366 has horizontally extending gibs 368 which slidably receive a plate 370. The plate 370 has a nut 372 dependent therefrom into which a screw 374 is threaded, the screw being rotatably mounted in the plate 370. A wheel 376 (FIGURE 1) rotatably mounted in the frame 10 is connected by a universal coupling 378 and bevel gearing 380 to the screw 374. An air actuated motor 382 is pivoted to the plate 378 by a pivot 384. The motor 382 has a block 386 secured thereto by a fastener 388. The piston rod 390 of the motor 382 has a plunger 392 secured thereto, and the plunger is slidable in a hole in the block 386. The forward end of the plunger 392 is pivoted to a link 394 and the link 394 is connected to the post 348. A brake cam 396 is eccentrically mounted in the block 386 on a pivot pin 398. An air operated motor 400, pivotally mounted on the block 386, has a piston rod 402 that is pivotally connected to the brake cam 396.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 29, a lever 404 is pivoted to the machine frame 10 on a pivot 406. The lever has a handle 408 secured thereto and extending outwardly of the frame through a slot 410. A bracket 412, secured to the frame 10, has three valves mounted thereon, a first valve 414 being located above the lever, a second valve 416 being located below the lever, and the third valve 418 being located rearwardly of the lever. The valve spools of all three valves are resiliently urged against the lever.

An automatically operated pneumatic control system is provided to cause the machine to go through a cycle. The system is actuated by a foot controlled lever or pedal 420 that is pivoted to the frame 18 by a pivot 422 and is urged counter-clockwise about the pivot by a counterweight 424 (FIGURES 2, 27 and 27A). A stop screw 426, threaded into a pedal extension 428, is engageable with a bar 430 of the frame 10 to limit the amount the pedal may move counter-clockwise under the influence of the counterweight. A pilot valve 432 is mounted above the pedal extension 428. As shown in FIGURE 30, the valve 432 has an air inlet port 434 located centrally of the valve housing 436 and air vent ports 438 and 440 located adjacent the opposite ends of the housing 436. A port 442, located between the ports 434 and 438, is connected through a line 444 to the working side of the pneumatic system, and a port 446, located between the ports 434 and 440, is connected through a line 448 to the venting side of the control system. The spool 450 of the valve 432 has lands 452 and 454 which block the ports 442 and 446 when the valve spool is in neutral position. The valve spool is normally urged downwardly by a compression spring 456 interposed between the valve housing 436 and a knob 458 on the end of the spool to bring the knob to bear against the pedal extension 428. In this position, an air passage is open between an air inlet line 460, that is connected to a source of pressure, and the line 448 leading to the venting side of the system through the ports 434 and 446. At the same time, air from the working side of the system escapes to atmosphere through'the line 444 and the ports 442 and 438. A movement of the valve spool 450 upwardly an amount sufiicient to provide an air passage between the ports 434 and 442 causes air under pressure to enter the working side of the system through the port 442 and permits air on the venting side of the system to pass to atmosphere through the line 448 and the ports 446 and 440.

The valve spool 450 has a head 462 at its upper end that is engagable with the valve housing 436 to limit the downward movement of the valve spool in the housing. A stud 464 is slidably mounted in alignment with the valve spool 450 in a bracket 466 above the valve 432. The stud has an enlarged head 468 at its lower end that acts as a stop, and a pair of lock nuts 470 at its upper end above the bracket 466. A compression spring 472 interposed between the bracket 466 and the head 468 yieldably urges the stud 464 downwardly to a position where the lower lock nut 470 engages the bracket 466. When the operator depresses the pedal 420 to raise the valve spool 450, he will feel no resistance to the pressure exerted by his foot until the head 462 of the valve spool engages the head 468 of the stud 464. At this position of the valve spool the pneumatic system is in neutral position and all the elements controlled by the system remain in the position they were in prior to the placing of the valve in neutral position. An application of increased pressure by the operator on the pedal 420 to overcome the force of the spring 472 will place the valve spool in position to connect the working side of the system to the source of air pressure and operate certain of the motors controlled by the system in the below described sequence.

Referring to FIGURES 2 and 27A, a valve 474 is mounted in the machine frame 10 above the counterweight 424. The valve spool 476 of the valve 474 is urged downwardly of the valve by a compression spring 478. The spring 478 is stronger than the spring 472, so that the operator can sense the resistance offered by the spring 478 after he has depressed the pedal 420 an amount sufficient to overcome the force of the spring 472.

At any time during the operation of the machine cycle the operator may stop the machine parts in a particular position by releasing his pressure on the pedal 420 until he no longer feels the pressure of either the spring 472 or the spring 478 and thus bring the valve spool 450 into neutral position.

The control system includes a plurality of sequence valves such as the valve designated by the reference numbers 420 through 448 in pending application Serial No. 107,156, filed May 2, 1961, now Patent No. 3,189,924. The sequence valves are so constructed as to offer resistance to the passage of air therethrough so that the air will follow an alternate path other than through the sequence valve if one is available. When such an alternate path is not available or is blocked, the air will go through the sequence valve. 7

In the operation of the machine, a last 480 is provided having an insole 482 secure-d to its bottom and an upper 484 draped over its toe (see FIGURES 32 and 32A). The upper has preferably been previously heel seat lasted by a heel seat lasting machine such as that disclosed in the above mentioned Patent No. 3,189,924. At this time, the wipers are held in their retracted position by the motor 36, the slide 286 is held in a retracted position by the motor 288 to maintain the toe clamp 304 in a rearward out of the way position, the stretch plate 204 is held in a lower position by the motor 198, the spring 310 holds the toe clamp in an upper position due to the retraction of the piston rod 328 in the motor 326 and the retraction of the piston rods 322 in the motors 320, the retarders 234 and 248 are respectively held in a lower position away from the wipers by the motors 228 and 236, the heel clamp is swung to a forward position by the motor 382, the brake cam 396 has been swung clockwise (FIGURE 2) by the motor 400 to an unlocking position, the jaws of the pincers 281 are held open by the motors 270, and the pincers 281 are held in an outer position by the motors 250.

Referring to FIGURE 31, the pneumatic circuit includes a line 486 emanating from a source of pressure labeled S. Air pressure passes from the line 486 through a line 488 to continuously provide pressure to the motors 56 and thereby resiliently urge the heads 50 to the forward ends of the slots 52.

The lever 404 is normally in the FIGURE 29 position wherein the valve 418 is depressed and the valves 414 and 416 are in a static condition. In this position of the lever, air flows through the line 488, a line 490, a low pressure regulator 492, a line 494, the valve 416 and a line 496 to the motor 265, and air flows through the regulator 492, a line 498, the valve 414, and a line 500 into the motor 264 to thereby apply air under relatively light pressure to the motors 64 to maintain the piston rods 262 and the pincers 281 carried thereby in a lowered position.

The valve spool 450 of the valve 436 is normally in a lowered position with the ports 434 and 446 in communication so that air passes from the line 486, through the line 460 and the valve 432 into the line 448 and to the lines labelled A and B in FIGURE 31. The lines A and B, which are indicated as broken off in FIGURE 31, branch into the valves and motors indicated in FIG- URE 31 to normally cause the motors to be maintained in the positions described above. Air normally goes through the valve 432, the line B and the valves 104, 100 and 102. The air passing through the valve 104 goes through a line 504 into the motors 228 and 236 to main tain the retarders 234 and 248 in their lowered position. The air passing through the valve 100 goes through a line 506 into the motors 270 to maintain the jaws of the pincers 281 in an open position. The air passing through the valve 102 goes through a line 508 to the motor 198 to maintain the stretch plate 204 in its lowered position.

The last, upper and insole assembly is now presented, bottom down, to the machine with the insole 482 resting on the stretch plate 204, the toe end of the last 480 abutting against the center retarder 234 and the lasting margin 502 of the upper 484 extending above the retarders 234 and 248 between the retarders and the wipers 20. The forepart portions of the upper margin are inserted between the open jaws of the pincers 281. At this time the shoe is in the position indicated in FIGURES 32, 32A and 32B.

The operator now depresses the pedal 420 until he has :felt that he has overcome the force of the spring 472 and begins to feel the resistance offered by the spring 478. This raises the valve spool 450 to a position where the lines 460 and 444 are in communication, without moving the valve spool 476, and the lines A and B are venting to atmosphere through the ports 446 and 440. Air now passes through the valve 432, the line 444 and a line 509 to valves 510, 512, 514 and 516 and the aforementioned valves 104, 100 and 92. The air passing through the line 444 and the line 509 is at this time blocked at the valves 510, 512, 514, 516 and 92. The air passing from the line 509 through the valve 104 goes from the valve 104, through a line 518, to the motors 228 and 236 to cause them to raise the retarders 234 and 248 and thereby enable the retarders to press the lasting margin 502 of the upper against the undersides of the wipers 20.

10 The air passing from the line 509 through the valve goes from the valve 100, through a line 520, to the motors 270 to actuate the motors 270 toclose the pincers 281 on the forepart portions of the upper margin.

After the retarders and pincers have been actuated to clamp the toe and forepart portions of the upper margin, air can pass from the valve 104, through a line 522, through a sequence valve 524 to actuate the valve 514, thereby causing air to flow from the line 509, through the valve 514, and a line 526 to the valve 102. The air passes through the valve 102 and a line 528 to the motor 198 to cause the motor to raise the stretch plate 204. At the same time, air passes through the valve 102, the line 528 and a line 530 to the motors 250 to thereby cause the motors 250 to swing the pincers 281 inwardly about the pivots 266 against the force of the springs 532 in the motors 250. A flow control valve 534 in the line 530 delays the inward movement of the pincers 281 until the stretch plate 204 has risen an amount sufficient to enable the pincers to clear the bottom of the shoe. The parts 20, 204, 234, 248 and 281 now assume the position shown in FIGURES 33, 33A, 33B and 33C and the machine is brought to a halt due to the air flowing from the valve 432 into the line 444 being blocked.

Prior to the operation of the machine, the yoke 152 had been adjusted for the particular style and size of shoe to be lasted. The aforementioned cross plate 116 is yieldably urged forwardly in the brackets 114 by the spring bearing against the trough 172, The extent of forward movement of the cross-piece is limited by the engagement of the trough 184 with the stud 188 as indicated in FIGURE 16. The cross-piece may be moved rearwardly against the force of the spring 180 until the trough 184 engages the collar 194. The stud 188 and the rod 186 are adjusted to set the limits of the forward and rearward movement of the cross-piece 116 and thereby set the extent of forward and rearward movement of the bight 154 of the yoke 152. The knobs 134 are rotated to thereby bring the shafts 132 a desired distance apart from each other. Since the nuts 138 act as limit stops due to the springs 151 causing the nuts 138 to abut against the bearings 140, the heads 142 will always be maintained a constant distance from the inner ends 536 of the shafts 132 regardless of the setting of the shafts 132, and the axial movement of the shafts 132 will move the clevises 144 of the support arms 146 toward or away from each other a constant amount. The rotation of the knobs 134 will therefore alter the profile of the inner walls 538 of the yoke 152 and alter the distance between the walls 538. This alteration will provide for a greater or lesser pressure of the yoke legs 156 against the upper, the desired amount of such pressure being dependent on the physical characteristics of the material out of which the upper is fashioned and the shape of the last. The alteration in profile of the walls 538 will also change the length of said walls bearing against the shoe upper. By rotating the nuts 138, the distance between the clevises 142 and the shaft ends 536 may be changed and the tension of the springs 151 may be adjusted. Similarly, the tension of the spring 180, that urges the cross-plate 116 forwardly, may be adjusted by rotating the extension 176 of the rod 174 in the frame 10 (FIGURE 17) to thereby adjust the distance between the head 182 and the trough 172.

The lock nuts 208 and 210 are so adjusted on the stretch plate holder 202 that the piston 540 of the motor 198 hits the upper wall 542 of the motor at the time when the insole 482 has risen to a level above the upper surfaces of the wipers 20 by an amount that is substantially equal to the thickness of the lasting margin 502. This arrangement ensures a raising of the shoe to this desired level regardless of the heightwise dimension of the last and the thickness of the insole and is substantially the reverse of a similar arrangement for lowering a shoe sup- 1 l ported bottom-up disclosed in the above mentioned Patent No, 3,165,771.

During the aforesaid raising of the shoe, the margin of the upper is gripped by the retarders 234 and 248 to draft and stretch the upper about the last. The upper slips to some extent from above the retarders, but only after it has been pulled over the last and cannot be further stretched. Due to the location of the retarders circumscribing the toe of the last, they also tend to exert a heel to toe pull on the last and dispose the heel of the upper snugly about the heel of the last. The pincers 281 maintain their grip on the upper margin during the raising of the shoe without slippage of the margin therein and thus serve to pull down the forepart of the upper to stretch it tightly on the last and ensure that the topline 543 of the upper is properly disposed on the last. When the pincers have taken the slack out of the upper, the piston rods 262 rise upwardly of the motors 264 with the motors acting as pneumatic springs. The inward movement of the pincers 281 cause the upper margin at the forepart portions of the shoe to be laid inwardly of the bottom of the last as indicated in FIGURES 33A and 33B.

The shoe was initially so placed on the stretch plate 204 that the edges of the last overlapped the wall 538 of the pad 152, as indicated in FIGURE 32B. When the last is forced upwardly, the yoke wall 538 is initially compressed (FIGURE 33C). When the wall can no longer be compressed, the bight 154 of the yoke flexes rearwardly against the pressure exerted by the spring 180, and the legs 156 flex outwardly against the pressure exerted by the springs 158. Should the shoe be substantially wider than the space between the legs 156, the support arms 146 and spring arms 148 will swing outwardly about the pivot pins 150 and compress the springs 151 between the heads 142 and the screw ends 536. During the latter movement, there will be relative swinging movement between the heads 142 and the clevises 144 about the pins 145 and relative swinging movement between the shafts 132 and the flanges 124 about the bearings 128. The yieldable pressure exerted by the springs 151, 158 and 180 and the spring arms 148 and the aforementioned swinging movements will cause the yoke 152 to snugly engage the shoe upper 484 and cause the shoe upper to snugly conform to the shape of the last during the upward movement of the last. The springs 170 urge the yoke legs 156 rearwardly during the raising of the shoe to always maintain the yoke bight 154 securely in the socket 122.

After the machine has come to a stop as described above, the operator examines the shoe to determine whether the forepart portion of the upper is draped evenly over the last as indicated in FIGURE 33B, with the throat line 543 of the upper properly positioned on the last (FIGURE 33). If it is not, he may manipulate the lever 404 to actuate the pincers 281 to properly center the upper on the last. As aforesaid, normally air at a relatively low pressure enters the motors 264 and 265 to yieldably urge the piston rods 262 and the pincers 281 downwardly. Referring to FIGURES 29 and 31, a downward movement of the lever 404, caused by an upward movement of the handle 408, causes the lever end to depart from the spool of the valve 418 and the lever to move the spool of the valve 416 downwardly to change the positions of the valve spools of these valves. This causes air to flow at a relatively high pressure from the line 488 and a line 544 through the valve 418, from the valve 418 through a line 546 to and through the valve 416, and from the valve 416 through the lines 494 and 498, the valve 414 and the line 500 to the motor 264 to supply air at relatively high pressure to the motor 264. At the same time, air in the motor 265 is exhausted to atmosphere through the line 496 and the valve 416.

Movement of the handle 408 down to raise the lever 404 moves the spools of the valves 418 and 414 to cause air under relatively high pressure to move through the lines 488 and 544, the valve 418, the line 546, a line 548, the valve 414, the lines 498 and 494, the valve 416 and the line 496 to the motor 265 to supply air at a relatively high pressure to the motor 265. At the same time, air in the motor 264 is exhausted to atmosphere through the line 500 and the valve 414. A return of the lever to the position shown in FIGURES 29 and 31 causes the relatively low pressure to be applied to both motors 264 and 265.

The operator by manipulating the lever 404 may thus apply increased pressure to a selected one of the pincers 281 while concomitantly releasing the pressure from the other pincers and thus manipulate the upper over the last until it becomes centered in the FIGURE 33B position.

After the operator has manipulated the lever 404 to center the upper on the last, he steps down harder on the pedal 420 to cause the counterweight 424 to raise the valve spool 476 of the valve 474 against the force of the spring 478. Due to the valve 474 being located further from the pivot 422 than the valve 432, the ports 434 and 442 of the valve 432 will remain in communication when the valve 474 has been actuated. The actuation of the valve 474 causes air to go from the line 526, through a line 550, the valve 474, a line 552 and a sequence valve 554 to actuate the valve 510. Actuation of the valve 510 causes air to pass from the line 509 through the valve 510 and a line 556 to actuate the motor 288 to bring the slide 286 from its normal out-of-the-way position to a forward working position where the toe clamp 304 is above the forepart of the last. The forward movement of the slide 286 is terminated by the engagement of the lug 336 with the stud 338.

Air can now pass from the line 556 through a line 558 and a sequence valve 560 to actuate the valve 512. The actuation of the valve 512 causes air to pass from the line 509 through the valve 512 and a line 562 and a regulator 563 to actuate the motors 320 under relatively low pressure. The actuation of the motors 320 serves to swing the lever 294 about the pivot 296 an amount sufficient to cause the roller 318 to depress the toe clamp holder 298 and bring the toe pad 308 into engagement with the forepart of the upper and clamp the shoe and last between the toe pad 308 and the stretch plate 204. The pivot 306 permits the toe clamp 304 to adjust itself to the curvature of that portion of the last engaged by the toe pad.

Air can now pass from the line 562, through a line 564 and a sequence valve 565 to actuate the valve 516. The actuation of the valve 516 causes air to pass from the line 509 through the valve 516 and a line 566 to the motor 382 to actuate the motor 382 to bring the heel clamp 354 to bear against the heel portion of the last. The parts now assume the position shown in FIGURE 33. The heel clamp 354, in its movement toward the last, may swing about the common vertical axis of the pins 344 and 364 as it engages the upper and last and thereby accommodates itself to the curvature of the heel of the last and provides a maximum bearing pressure against the last. An extension of this axis intersects the plane of the wipers 20 at about the center of curvature of the slots 22 (FIGURE 4) so that the pressure exerted by the heel clamp is substantially radial to the area of engagement of the wipers against the upper margin as described below.

During the above described upward movement of the stretch plate 204, the valve 222 had been actuated by the engagement of the valve spool 224 with the actuating screw 226 (FIGURE 11). This enables air to pass from the line 566, through a line 568, the valve 222, a line 570, and a sequence valve 572 to actuate a valve 574 after the actuation of the heel clamp driving motor 382. The actuation of the valve 574 causes air to pass from the line 488 through a line 576, the valve 574, and a line 578 to the motors 36 and 400 to concomitantly actuate these motors. The actuation of the motor 400 causes counterclockwise movement (FIGURE 2) of the cam brake 396 thereby pressing the larger radius portion of the cam brake against the plunger 392 to lock the heel clamp 354 in posi- 

5. A TOE LASTING MACHINE COMPRISING: A LAST SUPPORT FOR SUPPORTING BOTTOM-DOWN A LAST HAVING AN INSOLE LOCATED ON ITS BOTTOM AND AN UPPER DRAPED ABOUT ITS TOE END; WIPING MEANS MOUNTED FOR FORWARD MOVEMENT IN A PREDETERMINED PLANE; RETARDER MEANS OPERATIVE TO GRIP THE TOE PORTION OF THE UPPER MARGIN AND RESTRAIN IT AGAINST MOVEMENT; A PINCERS LOCATED ON EACH SIDE OF THE LAST SUPPORT FORWARDLY OF THE RETARDER MEANS FOR GRIPPING THE FOREPART PORTIONS OF THE UPPER MARGIN; MEANS FOR INITIALLY POSITIONING THE LAST SUPPORT SO THAT THE INSOLE IS LOCATED BELOW THE WIPING MEANS; MEANS FOR CAUSING THE RETARDER MEANS AND PINCERS TO GRIP THE AFOREMENTIONED PORTIONS OF THE UPPER MARGIN; MEANS FOR RAISING THE LAST SUPPORT AT LEAST AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO BRING THE BOTTOM OF THE INSOLE TO THE LEVEL OF THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE WIPER MEANS; AND MEANS FOR MOVING THE PINCERS TOWARD EACH OTHER CONCOMITANTLY WITH THE UPWARD MOVEMENT OF THE LAST SUPPORT TO LAY THE FOREPART PORTIONS OF THE UPPER AGAINST THE INSOLE. 